Methods and kits for determining predisposition to develop kidney diseases

ABSTRACT

Provided are methods and kits for determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, by identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant which is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on  Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense  as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the  Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense  under identical assay conditions; or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation or polypeptide variant being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/153,569 filed on Jun. 6, 2011 which claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/351,960 filed Jun. 7, 2010. The contents of the above applications are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein in their entirety.

SEQUENCE LISTING STATEMENT

The ASCII file, entitled 66241SequenceListing.txt, created on Apr. 24, 2016 comprising 77,824 bytes, submitted concurrently with the filing of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods and kits for determining predisposition to develop kidney diseases, and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to methods of designing life style change and treatment regimens for a subject predisposed to develop a kidney disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a powerful independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death at all stages. Most patients with CKD will succumb to cardiovascular complications rather than reach end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Recent reports estimate that as many as 600 million people worldwide have CKD, and hence are at greatly increased risk of cardiovascular disease including hypertension [Hypertext Transfer Protocol(dot)worldwideweb (dot)kidney(dot)org(dot)au/NewsEvents/WorldKidneyDay/tabid/655/Default (dot)aspx].

Based on information from those countries where renal replacement therapy is available and registries are maintained, there are close to one million people with ESKD receiving dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant. In the United States, an estimated 15.5 million have stage 3 and 4 CKD, and 584,000 have ESKD. African Americans have five times greater risk for kidney disease than European Americans. Correspondingly, African-Americans also have a higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease than Americans of European ancestry, including death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and stroke. Finally, it is now appreciated that hypertension, once thought to be a leading cause of CKD leading to ESKD, is the consequence of primary renal glomerular disease in certain risk populations.

Mapping by admixture linkage disequilibrium (MALD) localized an interval on chromosome 22, in a region that includes the MYH9 gene, which was shown to contain African ancestry risk variants associated with certain forms of ESKD (Kao et al. 2008; Kopp et al. 2008). This led to the new designation of MYH9 associated nephropathies. Subsequent studies identified clusters of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within MYH9 with the largest odds ratios (OR) reported to date for the association of common variants with common disease risk (Bostrom and Freedman 2010). These MYH9 association studies were extended to earlier stage and related kidney disease phenotypes, and to population groups with varying degrees of recent African ancestry admixture (Behar et al. 2010; Nelson et al. 2010). Thus, the MYH9 has been proposed as a major genetic risk locus for a spectrum of non-diabetic ESKD. However, despite intensive efforts including re-sequencing of the MYH9 gene no suggested functional mutation has been identified (Nelson et al. 2010).

U.S. Patent Application No. 20100297660 to Winkler Cheryl et al. (“SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS ASSOCIATED WITH RENAL DISEASE”) discloses methods for determining the genetic predisposition of a human subject to developing renal disease, such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or end-stage kidney disease by detection of one or more haplotype blocks comprising at least two tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a non-coding region of a MYH9 gene or detecting the presence of at least one tag SNP in a non-coding region of a MYH9 gene.

Additional background art includes Tzur S, et al. (Missense mutations in the APOL1 gene are highly associated with end stage kidney disease risk previously attributed to the MYH9 gene) Hum. Genet. 2010, 128:345-50; Rosset S, et al. (The population genetics of chronic kidney disease: insights from the MYH9-APOL1 locus) Nat. Rev. Nephrol. 2011, May 3. [Epub ahead of print]; Genovese G, et al. (Association of trypanolytic ApoL1 variants with kidney disease in African Americans) Science 2010; 329:841-5; Behar D M, et al. (African ancestry allelic variation at the MYH9 gene contributes to increased susceptibility to non-diabetic end-stage kidney disease in Hispanic Americans) Hum. Mol. Genet. 2010 19(9):1816-27; Shlush L I, et al. (Admixture mapping of end stage kidney disease genetic susceptibility using estimated mutual information ancestry informative markers) BMC Med Genomics. 2010 3:47; and U.S. Patent Application No. 20110030078.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, comprising: identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant which is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, thereby determining the predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, comprising: identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 or at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation or polypeptide variant being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 nucleotide mutation or the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, thereby determining the predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of designing a life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease, comprising: (a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation, (i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; (ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, and; (b) designing the life style change based on presence or absence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation, thereby designing life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of designing a life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease, comprising: (a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation, (i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; (ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, and; (b) designing the life style change based on presence or absence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation, thereby designing life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of designing a nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen to a subject infected with HIV, comprising: (a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation, (i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; (ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, and; (b) designing the nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen based on presence or absence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation, thereby designing a nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen to the subject infected with HIV.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method of determining if a subject is suitable for donating a kidney for transplantation, comprising: (a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation, (i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; (ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop a kidney disease, and; wherein increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease indicates that the subject is not suitable for donating the kidney for transplantation, thereby determining if the subject is suitable for donating a kidney for transplantation.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a kit for determining predisposition to a kidney disease, comprising a reagent capable of specifically detecting at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant comprises a mutation in the C-terminal helix of the APOL1 polypeptide.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant has a reduced binding ability to serum resistance—associated protein (SRA) expressed by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the binding ability of the APOL1 wild type polypeptide under identical assay conditions.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 with a mutation selected from the group consisting of G342, M384, N388-del and Y389-del.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the LD between the APOL1 nucleotide mutation and the S342G mutation is characterized by a Lewontin correlation coefficient (D′) higher than 0.5.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the significance of the LD is characterized by LOD≧2.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is selected from the group consisting of the guanine-containing allele of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs73885319 (SEQ ID NO:6), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs60910145 (SEQ ID NO:7), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs9622363 (SEQ ID NO:8), the adenine-containing allele of SNP rs60295735 (SEQ ID NO:9) and the cytosine-containing allele of SNP rs58384577 (SEQ ID NO:10).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the kidney disease comprises end stage kidney disease.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the kidney disease comprises HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the subject is infected with HIV.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is selected from the group consisting of the guanine-containing allele of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs73885319 (SEQ ID NO:6), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs60910145 (SEQ ID NO:7), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs9622363 (SEQ ID NO:8), the adenine-containing allele of SNP rs60295735 (SEQ ID NO:9) and the cytosine-containing allele of SNP rs58384577 (SEQ ID NO:10).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the reagent comprises a polynucleotide capable of specifically detecting the APOL1 nucleotide mutation.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the reagent comprises an antibody capable of specifically binding an APOL1 variant comprises the nucleotide mutation and not to the APLO1 wild type polypeptide.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprising informing the subject on the state of the predisposition to develop the kidney disease.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the nucleotide mutation creates an APOL1 protein variant.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the nucleotide mutation is detected by a DNA detection method.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 protein variant is detected by a protein detection method.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the chromosomal region encompassing the SNPs according to some embodiments of the present study.

FIG. 2 is a linkage disequilibrium (LD) plot of the non-diabetic ESKD associated SNPs in the APOL1 and MYH9 region with their physical locations on chromosome 22. LD was calculated based on the African American control samples (n=140) and the LD plot was generated using the program HaploView (Barrett et al. 2005). The color scheme represents the pairwise linkage disequilibrium value (D′/LOD) for the 4 new SNPs outside MYH9 (2 of which are missense mutations in APOL1) and for the previously published 10 MYH9 SNPs described in Behar et al. 2010. Bright red squares presents SNPs with linkage LOD≧2 and D′=1. D′ values lower than “1” are expressed in percentages;

FIGS. 3A-3C are contour map depicting spatial allele frequency distributions in Africa of the ESKD risk variants. FIG. 3A—MYH9 S-1 (SNP rs5750250); FIG. 3B—MYH9 F-1 SNP (rs11912763); FIG. 3C—APOL1 S342G missense mutation (rs73885319). Maps were generated based on genotyping of 12 African populations (n=676) (Table 3, in the Examples section which follows), using Surfer V.9 (Golden Software). Populations locations are marked (red circles for Ethiopia). Risk allele frequencies in Ethiopia and in South-Ghana are indicated;

FIGS. 4A-4C are predicted peptide structures of the C-terminus domain of the APOL1 gene product (amino acid positions 339-398 in SEQ ID NO:1) that contains the missense mutations S342G and I384M. All predictions were generated using the program I-TASSER (Zhang 2008, 2009), structures were edited with the program CHIMERA (Pettersen et al. 2004). All suggested predicted structures exhibit Tm values >0.5. FIG. 4A—Predicted structure and location of amino acid changes. C-terminus domain is predicted to have a bent alpha-helix structure. The mutation I384M is located on the external surface of the predicted alpha-helix, while the S342G is buried inside. FIG. 4B—Hydrophobicity of the predicted peptide surface (RED—hydrophobic amino-acids, BLUE—polar amino-acids). Hydrophobic core is predicted to stabilize the bent C-terminus helical structure. FIG. 4C—Identified binding site in the predicted structure of the APOL1 C-terminus domain (Zhang 2008, 2009), based on similarity to an analogous known binding site (Billas et al. 2003). S342G is involved in the predicted binding site domain, and is predicted to modify its binding ability.

FIGS. 5A-5D are schematic pie charts depicting allele frequencies for the APOL1 SNP rs73885319 (S342G) in African Americans and Hispanic Americans ESKD cases versus controls. “G” refers to the risk allele and “A” refers to the “protective” allele; FIG. 5A—Controls African Americans; FIG. 5B (Cases African Americas); FIG. 5C (Controls, Hispanic Americans); FIG. 5D (Cases, Hispanic Americans). Note the high prevalence of the risk allele (G) among African American controls as compared to Hispanic Americans controls, and the significant increase in frequency of the risk allele among both African Americans and Hispanic Americans controls.

FIG. 6 is a gel image depicting results of restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for APOL1 missense mutations SNP rs73885319 (S342G) and SNP rs60910145 (I384M). Shown are the restriction fragments resulted from digestion of DNA with the HindIII and NSPI restriction enzymes. SNP APOL1 rs73885319 A/G: The allele containing G eliminates a recognition site of endonuclease HindIII. APOL1 SNP rs60910145 T/G: The allele containing T generates a new recognition site of endonuclease NspI. The sign ‘+’ indicates an additional cutting site in the DNA fragment due to the presence of the mutation. The sign ‘−’ indicates no additional cutting site in the DNA fragment.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods and kits for determining predisposition to develop a kidney disease, and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to methods of designing a life-style change and/or a treatment regimen in predisposed subjects.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details set forth in the following description or exemplified by the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

The present inventors have uncovered that SNPs in the APOL1 gene are highly associated with renal disease and therefore identification of the APOL1 risk alleles can be used to determine predisposition to renal diseases.

Thus, as described in the Examples section which follows, the present inventors have uncovered that two Western African specific missense mutations (S342G and I384M) in the APOL1 gene/polypeptide are more strongly associated with ESKD than previously reported MYH9 variants (Example 1, Tables 1 and 3, FIGS. 1, 2 and 5A-D). In addition, the present inventors have uncovered that the distribution of these risk variants in African populations is consistent with the pattern of African ancestry ESKD risk previously attributed to MYH9 (Example 2, Table 3, FIGS. 3A-C). These results demonstrate that the functional polymorphisms in the APOL1 protein account for the increased susceptibility of the African American population to develop renal disease such as ESKD, and suggest the use of these markers as diagnostic and prognostic markers for diagnosing renal diseases and for designing life style change and treatment regimens to subjects at risk of renal disease based on the presence or absence of the predisposition to develop the renal disease.

Thus, according to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention there is provided a method of determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease. The method comprising identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant which is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, thereby determining the predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

As used herein the term “predisposition” refers to the tendency of a subject to develop a certain condition (e.g., a kidney disease).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the predisposition which is determined by the method of some embodiments of the invention is a genetic predisposition, i.e., predisposition to develop a condition due to a certain genetic background as compared to a subject devoid of such genetic background.

It should be noted that a subject who is predisposed to develop a disease (e.g., kidney disease) is more likely to develop the disease than a non-predisposed subject.

The predisposition to develop the kidney disease can be quantified by generating and using genotype relative risk (GRR) values. The GRR is the increased chance of an individual with a particular genotype to develop the disease. Thus, the GRR of the risk genotype G, with respect to the protective genotype G₀, is the ratio between the risk of an individual carrying genotype G to develop the disease, and the risk of an individual carrying genotype G₀ to develop the disease. The GRR used herein is represented in terms of an appropriate odds ratio (OR) of G versus G₀ in cases and controls. Moreover, computation of GRR of genotypes or haplotypes is based on a multiplicative model in which the GRR of an homozygote individual is the square of the GRR of an heterozygote individual. For further details see Risch and Merikangas, 1996 [The future of genetic studies of complex human diseases. Science 273: 1516-1517], which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Once calculated, the GRR can reflect the increased predisposition risk on an individual with a specific APOL1 genotype to develop the kidney disease.

As used herein the phrase “APOL1 polypeptide variant” refers to an APOL1 amino acid sequence which comprises at least one amino acid change with respect to the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1. The amino acid change can be an amino acid(s) substitution, deletion or insertion. The amino acid substitution can be a conservative substitution, i.e., with a similar amino acid (e.g., a positively charged amino acid is replaced by another positively charged amino acid; a hydrophobic amino acid is replaced by another hydrophobic amino acid; a negatively-charged amino acid is replaced by another negatively charged amino acid), or it can be a non-conservative substitution, i.e., with an amino acid having different characteristics (e.g., a positively charged amino acid is replaced by a negatively charged amino acid; a hydrophobic amino acid is replaced by a positively-charged amino acid; a negatively-charged amino acid is replaced by a hydrophobic amino acid, etc.).

It should be noted that the amino acid change can include one or more amino acids of the APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1.

It should be noted that the “wild type APOL1 polypeptide” comprises “S” (Serine) at amino acid position 342 in SEQ ID NO:1, “I” (Isoleucine) at amino acid position 384 in SEQ ID NO:1, “N” (Asparagine) at amino acid position 388 in SEQ ID NO:1 and “Y” (Tyrosine) at amino acid position 389 in SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 variant comprises only one amino acid change with respect to the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 variant comprises two amino acid changes with respect to the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 variant comprises at least one amino acid change and no more than about 60 amino acid changes with respect to the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 variant comprises about 2-20 (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20) amino acid changes with respect to the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant comprises a mutation (missense, nonsense, deletion or insertion) in the C-terminal helix of the APOL1 polypeptide. According to some embodiments of the invention, the amino acid change(s) in APOL1 variant occurs in the SRA-interacting domain in the C-terminal end of the APOL1 polypeptide, between amino acids 339-398 of SEQ ID NO:1 (FIG. 1 of Lecordier et al., 2009, PLoS Pathog. 2009 December; 5(12):e1000685).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the amino acid change(s) in APOL1 variant does not occur within the pore forming domain (amino acids 60-238 of SEQ ID NO:1) and/or within the membrane-addressing domain (amino acids 238-304 of SEQ ID NO:1).

As described, the APOL1 polypeptide variant which is identified by the method of some embodiments of the invention is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense is resistant to lysis by the apolipoprotein present in normal human serum.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense expresses serum resistance-associated protein (SRA), also referred to as SRA-positive.

It should be noted that wild type APOL1 fails to lyse the SRA+ (positive) Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (See for example, FIG. 3C in Genovese G., et al. “Association of Trypanolytic APOL1 variants with kidney disease in African-Americans”, Science 2010, 329: 841-845, which is fully incorporated herein by reference).

As used herein the phrase “higher trypanolytic activity” refers to at least about 10%, at least about 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% greater trypanolytic activity of the APOL1 polypeptide variant as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant which exhibits a higher trypanolytic activity as compared to the APOL1 wild type polypeptide set forth by SEQ ID NO:1 is selected from the group G342, M384, N388-del and Y389-del (positions refer to the APOL1 polypeptide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant is APOL1 N388-del/Y389-del (numbers relate to the APOL1 polypeptide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1).

The sample used according to the method of this aspect of the invention can be any biological sample (obtained from an individual, e.g., human) which comprises the APOL1 polypeptide, or a sample of a recombinant or synthetic APOL1 polypeptide. Examples of biological samples include, but are not limited to whole blood or fractions thereof, such as serum, lipoproteins [High-density lipoprotein (HDL)], body fluids and exertions, tissue samples, and the like. The sample can be at least partially isolated from the subject, and further purified, or can be a crude sample.

According to some embodiments of the invention the sample is a serum sample.

According to some embodiments of the invention the sample is plasma HDL.

The trypanolytic activity can be measured as the percentage of survival of the trypanosome in the presence of a sample containing the APOL1 polypeptide. Thus, for example, while in the presence of the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 the percentage of survival can be about 100%, in the presence of an APOL1 variant the percentage of survival of the trypanosome can be reduced to 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% and 0% survival, which is referred to as 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% trypanolytic activity of the APOL1 polypeptide, respectively.

Assays which can be used to measure the trypanolytic activity of a protein on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense are known in the art and described, for example in Lecordier L, et al. “C-terminal mutants of apolipoprotein L-I efficiently kill both Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.” PLoS Pathog. 2009 December; 5(12):e1000685. Epub 2009 Dec. 4; U.S. Patent Application No. 20110030078; Genovese G., et al. “Association of Trypanolytic APOL1 variants with kidney disease in African-Americans”, Science 2010, 329: 841-845; and in Tomlinson, et al., “High-density-lipoprotein-independent Killing of Trypanosoma brucei brucei by Human Serum,” Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 70:131-138 (1995), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Following is a non-limiting description of an in vitro assays which can be used to determine the trypanolytic activity of the APOL1 variant. Samples containing the APOL1 polypeptide can be for example, serum samples, plasma HDL or recombinant APOL1 polypeptides. Serum samples can be obtained by simple blood drawing and separation of serum from the blood. Plasma HDLs can be prepared by density gradient centrifugation and gel filtration. Recombinant APOL1 polypeptides [wild type APOL1 (SEQ ID NO:1) or APOL1 polypeptide variants (e.g., the G342, M384, N388-del and/or Y389-del APOL1 polypeptide variant)] can be expressed from a nucleic acid construct comprising the coding sequence of APOL1 which is expressed in prokaryotic (e.g., Escherichia coli) or eukaryotic (e.g., 293T) cells essentially as described in Lecordier L, et al. 2009 (Supra).

The trypanolytic activity is determined in Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. There are two major types of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense clones: the normal human serum-resistant (SRA+) and the normal human serum-sensitive (SRA−) T. b. rhodesiense ETat 1.2 clones can be used. ETat 1.2R is resistant to normal human serum, and ETat 1.2S is sensitive to normal human serum. It should be noted that while the SRA− T. b. rhodesiense (sensitive) clone is used as a positive control for the trypanolytic activity by all forms of APOL1 polypeptides (wild type and variant APOL1 polypeptides), the SRA+ T. b. rhodesiense (resistance) is used to differentiate between the APOL1 variants which are capable of lysing the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and the wild type APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 which is incapable of lysing the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as can be determined by a survival assay as described below. The trypanosomes can be diluted into pre-warmed DMEM containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). In 96-well plates, serum samples are diluted into DMEM+ 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and trypanosomes are added to a final volume of 0.2 ml, containing about 2.5×10⁵/ml parasites. Killing is allowed to proceed for about 17 hours at 37° C. in a CO₂ equilibrated incubator and living trypanosomes are counted using a heamocytometer. HDL killing assays are performed for 150 minutes at 37° C. in DMEM, 0.2% BSA using aliquots of sized fractionated lipoproteins incubated with parasites (trypanosoma) diluted at a final concentration of about 5×10⁵ cells/ml. Parasite lysis can be determined using a calcein-AM fluorescence-based assay (Tomlinson et al., “High-density-lipoprotein-independent Killing of Trypanosoma brucei by Human Serum,” Mol Biochem Parasitol 70: 131-8 (1995), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety). Recombinant APOL1 polypeptides (e.g., about 0.1-20 μg/ml, e.g., about 0.6-10 μg/ml, e.g., about 0.6-5 μg/ml) can be incubated with the trypanosoma overnight and the survival of trypanosoma can be determined and expressed as percentage (%) survival as compared to control (e.g., FCS)

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 polypeptide variant has a reduced binding ability to serum resistance—associated protein (SRA) expressed by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the binding ability of the APOL1 wild type polypeptide under identical assay conditions.

Assays of measuring the binding ability of the APOL1 polypeptide to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense SRA are known in the art and are described for example, in Genovese G., et al. “Association of Trypanolytic APOL1 variants with kidney disease in African-Americans”, Science 2010, 329: 841-845, which is hereby incorporated herein by its entirety.

Determination of predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease can be also performed by single nucleotide polymorphism detection methods.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention there is provided a method of determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, comprising: identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 (chr22:36,622,000-36,677,000 in NCB137.1/hg19 assembly) or at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation or polypeptide variant being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 nucleotide mutation or the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, thereby determining the predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

The sample according to some embodiments of the invention is a DNA or protein sample.

The DNA sample can be obtained from any source of cells of the individual, including, but not limited to, peripheral blood cells (obtained using a syringe), skin cells (obtained from a skin biopsy), saliva or mouth epithelial cells (obtained from a mouth wash), and body secretions such as urine and tears, and from biopsies, etc. Alternatively, nucleic acid tests can be performed on dry samples (e.g. hair or skin). The sample may contain genomic DNA, cDNA or RNA. Methods of preparing genomic DNA or cDNA and RNA are well known in the art.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the DNA sample is obtained from a peripheral blood sample. Methods of extracting DNA from blood samples are well known in the art.

Once obtained, the DNA sample is preferably characterized for the presence or absence of at least one or more of the APOL1 nucleotide mutations in a homozygous or a heterozygous form in the sample of the subject.

The term “absence” as used herein in regard to the nucleotide or protein mutation describes the negative result of a specific genotype determination test. For example, if the genotype determination test is suitable for the identification of guanine nucleotide—containing allele of SNP rs73885319 (encoding APOL1 G342), and the individual on which the test is performed is homozygote for the adenosine nucleotide—containing allele of SNP rs73885319 (encoding APOL1 S342), then the result of the test will be “absence of nucleotide or protein mutation”.

The terms “homozygous” or “heterozygous” refer to two identical or two different alleles, respectively, of a certain mutation or polymorphism.

The phrases “APOL1 nucleotide mutation” or “APOL1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)”, which are interchangeably used herein, refer to a substitution, deletion, insertion or inversion of a nucleotide sequence in the APOL1 genomic sequence with respect to the wild type genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3.

It should be noted that the APOL1 mutation can be a substitution, deletion, insertion or inversion of a nucleotide sequence in the APOL1 coding sequence with respect to the wild type APOL1 mRNA sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 (GenBank Accession No. NM_001136540.1); or it can be a missense, nonsense, deletion or insertion resulting in a mutant APOL1 polypeptide with respect to the wild type polypeptide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 (GenBank Accession No. NP_003652.2).

It should be noted that “wild type APOL1 mRNA sequence” comprises “A” (adenosine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 1231 in SEQ ID NO:2, “T” (thymidine nucleotide) at position 1359 in SEQ ID NO:2, “ATT” at nucleotide positions 1369-1371 in SEQ ID NO:2, “ATA” at nucleotide positions 1372-1374 in SEQ ID NO:2, and “T” (thymidine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 2538 in SEQ ID NO:2.

It should be noted that the “wild type APOL1 genomic sequence” comprises “A” (adenosine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 34556 in SEQ ID NO:3, “A” (adenosine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 39907 in SEQ ID NO:3, “T” (thymidine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 40035 in SEQ ID NO:3, “AAT” at nucleotide positions 40045-40047 in SEQ ID NO:3, “TAT” at nucleotide positions 40048-40050 in SEQ ID NO:3, “T” (thymidine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 41214 in SEQ ID NO:3, and “G” (guanine nucleotide) at nucleotide position 45155 in SEQ ID NO:3.

The APOL1 mutation can be a missense mutation (i.e., a mutation which changes an amino acid residue in the protein with another amino acid residue), a nonsense mutation (i.e., a mutation which introduces a stop codon in a protein), a frameshift mutation (i.e., a mutation, usually, deletion or insertion of nucleic acids which changes the reading frame of the protein, and may result in an early termination or in a longer amino acid sequence), a readthrough mutation (i.e., a mutation which results in an elongated protein due to a change in a coding frame or a modified stop codon), a promoter mutation (i.e., a mutation in a promoter sequence, usually 5′ to the transcription start site of a gene, which result in up-regulation or down-regulation of a specific gene product), a regulatory mutation (i.e., a mutation in a region upstream or downstream, or within a gene, which affects the expression of the gene product), a deletion (i.e., a mutation which deletes coding or non-coding nucleic acids in a gene sequence), an insertion (i.e., a mutation which inserts coding or non-coding nucleic acids into a gene sequence), an inversion (i.e., a mutation which results in an inverted coding or non-coding sequence), and a duplication (i.e., a mutation which results in a duplicated coding or non-coding sequence).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the at least one mutation comprises no more than about 100, no more than about 90, no more than about 80, no more than about 70, no more than about 60, no more than about 50, no more than about 40, no more than about 30, no more than about 20, no more than about 15, no more than about 10, e.g., no more than 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 nucleotide mutations in the APOL1 genomic sequence with respect to the wild type genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the at least one mutation comprises no more than about 100, no more than about 90, no more than about 80, no more than about 70, no more than about 60, no more than about 50, no more than about 40, no more than about 30, no more than about 20, no more than about 15, no more than about 10, e.g., no more than 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 nucleotide mutations in the APOL1 coding sequence with respect to the wild type coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the at least one mutation comprises no more than about 100, no more than about 90, no more than about 80, no more than about 70, no more than about 60, no more than about 50, no more than about 40, no more than about 30, no more than about 20, no more than about 15, no more than about 10, e.g., no more than 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 amino acid mutations in the APOL1 genomic sequence with respect to the wild type polypeptide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

As described, the nucleotide mutation is in linkage disequilibrium with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, which is encoded by the A→G (adenosine to guanine) substitution at position 1231 of the APOL1 mRNA (coding sequence) set forth by SEQ ID NO:2.

The phrase “linkage disequilibrium” (LD) is used to describe the statistical correlation between two neighboring polymorphic genotypes. Typically, LD refers to the correlation between the alleles of a random gamete at the two loci, assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (statistical independence) between gametes. LD is quantified with either Lewontin's parameter of association (D′) or with Pearson correlation coefficient (r) [Devlin B, Risch N. (1995). A comparison of linkage disequilibrium measures for fine-scale mapping. Genomics. 29: 311-322]. Two loci with a LD value of 1 are the to be in complete LD. At the other extreme, two loci with a LD value of 0 are termed to be in linkage equilibrium. Linkage disequilibrium is calculated following the application of the expectation maximization algorithm (EM) for the estimation of haplotype frequencies [Slatkin M, Excoffier L. (1996). Testing for linkage disequilibrium in genotypic data using the Expectation-Maximization algorithm Heredity. 76: 377-83.]. Preferably, LD values according to the present invention for neighboring genotypes/loci are selected above 0.1, preferably, above 0.2, more preferable above 0.5, more preferably, above 0.6, still more preferably, above 0.7, preferably, above 0.8, more preferably above 0.9, ideally about 1.0.

In the D-Prime Plot, each diagonal represents a different SNP, with each square representing a pairwise comparison between two SNPs. SNPs are numbered sequentially, 5′ to 3′, and their relative location is indicated along the top. Red squares indicate statistically significant (LOD>2) allelic association (linkage disequilibrium, LD) between the pair of SNPs, as measured by the D′ statistic; darker colors of red indicate higher values of D′, up to a maximum of 1. White squares indicate pairwise D′ values of <1 with no statistically significant evidence of LD. Blue squares indicate pairwise D′ values of 1 but without statistical significance.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the LD between the APOL1 nucleotide mutation and the S342G mutation is characterized by a Lewontin correlation coefficient (D′) higher than about 0.5, e.g., higher than about 0.6, higher than about 0.7, higher than about 0.8, higher than about 0.9, higher than about 0.91, higher than about 0.92, higher than about 0.93, higher than about 0.94, higher than about 0.95, higher than about 0.96, higher than about 0.97, higher than about 0.98, higher than about 0.99, e.g., about 1.0.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the significance of the LD is characterized by LOD≧2, e.g., LOD≧3, LOD≧4, LOD≧5, LOD≧6, LOD≧7.

As shown in FIG. 2, and described in Example 1 of the Examples section which follows, and based on the 1000-genomes-project (Hypertext Transfer Protocol://World Wide Web (dot) 1000genomes(dot)org/) the present inventors have uncovered that the rs9622363, rs58384577, rs73885319 and rs60910145 SNPs are in complete LD (D′/LOD=100), and that the rs60295735 SNP is in tight linkage disequilibrium with each of them [i.e., D′/LOD (in percentages)=91 (with rs9622363), 95 (with rs73885319) and 97 (with rs60910145)].

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is selected from the group consisting of the guanine-containing allele of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs73885319 (SEQ ID NO:6), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs60910145 (SEQ ID NO:7), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs9622363 (SEQ ID NO:8), the adenine-containing allele of SNP rs60295735 (SEQ ID NO:9) and the cytosine-containing allele of SNP rs58384577 (SEQ ID NO:10).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the nucleotide mutation creates an APOL1 protein variant.

The SNPs of some embodiments of the invention can be identified using a variety of approaches suitable for identifying sequence alterations. One option is to determine the entire gene sequence of a PCR reaction product. Alternatively, a given segment of nucleic acid may be characterized on several other levels. At the lowest resolution, the size of the molecule can be determined by electrophoresis by comparison to a known standard run on the same gel. A more detailed picture of the molecule may be achieved by cleavage with combinations of restriction enzymes prior to electrophoresis, to allow construction of an ordered map. The presence of specific sequences within the fragment can be detected by hybridization of a labeled probe, or the precise nucleotide sequence can be determined by partial chemical degradation or by primer extension in the presence of chain-terminating nucleotide analogs.

Following is a non-limiting list of SNPs detection methods which can be used to identify one or more of the SNPs of some embodiments of the invention.

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP):

This method uses a change in a single nucleotide (the SNP nucleotide) which modifies a recognition site for a restriction enzyme resulting in the creation or destruction of an RFLP. Single nucleotide mismatches in DNA heteroduplexes are also recognized and cleaved by some chemicals, providing an alternative strategy to detect single base substitutions, generically named the “Mismatch Chemical Cleavage” (MCC) (Gogos et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 18:6807-6817, 1990). However, this method requires the use of osmium tetroxide and piperidine, two highly noxious chemicals which are not suited for use in a clinical laboratory.

Allele Specific Oligonucleotide (ASO):

In this method, an allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) is designed to hybridize in proximity to the polymorphic nucleotide, such that a primer extension or ligation event can be used as the indicator of a match or a mis-match. Hybridization with radioactively labeled allelic specific oligonucleotides (ASO) also has been applied to the detection of specific SNPs (Conner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 80:278-282, 1983). The method is based on the differences in the melting temperature of short DNA fragments differing by a single nucleotide. Stringent hybridization and washing conditions can differentiate between mutant and wild-type alleles.

Denaturing/Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE/TGGE):

Two other methods rely on detecting changes in electrophoretic mobility in response to minor sequence changes. One of these methods, termed “Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis” (DGGE) is based on the observation that slightly different sequences will display different patterns of local melting when electrophoretically resolved on a gradient gel. In this manner, variants can be distinguished, as differences in melting properties of homoduplexes versus heteroduplexes differing in a single nucleotide can detect the presence of SNPs in the target sequences because of the corresponding changes in their electrophoretic mobilities. The fragments to be analyzed, usually PCR products, are “clamped” at one end by a long stretch of G-C base pairs (30-80) to allow complete denaturation of the sequence of interest without complete dissociation of the strands. The attachment of a GC “clamp” to the DNA fragments increases the fraction of mutations that can be recognized by DGGE (Abrams et al., Genomics 7:463-475, 1990). Attaching a GC clamp to one primer is critical to ensure that the amplified sequence has a low dissociation temperature (Sheffield et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 86:232-236, 1989; and Lerman and Silverstein, Meth. Enzymol., 155:482-501, 1987). Modifications of the technique have been developed, using temperature gradients (Wartell et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 18:2699-2701, 1990), and the method can be also applied to RNA:RNA duplexes (Smith et al., Genomics 3:217-223, 1988).

Limitations on the utility of DGGE include the requirement that the denaturing conditions must be optimized for each type of DNA to be tested. Furthermore, the method requires specialized equipment to prepare the gels and maintain the needed high temperatures during electrophoresis. The expense associated with the synthesis of the clamping tail on one oligonucleotide for each sequence to be tested is also a major consideration. In addition, long running times are required for DGGE. The long running time of DGGE was shortened in a modification of DGGE called constant denaturant gel electrophoresis (CDGE) (Borrensen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8405, 1991). CDGE requires that gels be performed under different denaturant conditions in order to reach high efficiency for the detection of SNPs.

A technique analogous to DGGE, termed temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), uses a thermal gradient rather than a chemical denaturant gradient (Scholz, et al., Hum. Mol. Genet. 2:2155, 1993). TGGE requires the use of specialized equipment which can generate a temperature gradient perpendicularly oriented relative to the electrical field. TGGE can detect mutations in relatively small fragments of DNA therefore scanning of large gene segments requires the use of multiple PCR products prior to running the gel.

Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP):

Another common method, called “Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism” (SSCP) was developed by Hayashi, Sekya and colleagues (reviewed by Hayashi, PCR Meth. Appl., 1:34-38, 1991) and is based on the observation that single strands of nucleic acid can take on characteristic conformations in non-denaturing conditions, and these conformations influence electrophoretic mobility. The complementary strands assume sufficiently different structures that one strand may be resolved from the other. Changes in sequences within the fragment will also change the conformation, consequently altering the mobility and allowing this to be used as an assay for sequence variations (Orita, et al., Genomics 5:874-879, 1989).

The SSCP process involves denaturing a DNA segment (e.g., a PCR product) that is labeled on both strands, followed by slow electrophoretic separation on a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel, so that intra-molecular interactions can form and not be disturbed during the run. This technique is extremely sensitive to variations in gel composition and temperature. A serious limitation of this method is the relative difficulty encountered in comparing data generated in different laboratories, under apparently similar conditions.

Dideoxy Fingerprinting (ddF):

The dideoxy fingerprinting (ddF) is another technique developed to scan genes for the presence of mutations (Liu and Sommer, PCR Methods Appli., 4:97, 1994). The ddF technique combines components of Sanger dideoxy sequencing with SSCP. A dideoxy sequencing reaction is performed using one dideoxy terminator and then the reaction products are electrophoresed on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels to detect alterations in mobility of the termination segments as in SSCP analysis. While ddF is an improvement over SSCP in terms of increased sensitivity, ddF requires the use of expensive dideoxynucleotides and this technique is still limited to the analysis of fragments of the size suitable for SSCP (i.e., fragments of 200-300 bases for optimal detection of mutations).

In addition to the above limitations, all of these methods are limited as to the size of the nucleic acid fragment that can be analyzed. For the direct sequencing approach, sequences of greater than 600 base pairs require cloning, with the consequent delays and expense of either deletion sub-cloning or primer walking, in order to cover the entire fragment. SSCP and DGGE have even more severe size limitations. Because of reduced sensitivity to sequence changes, these methods are not considered suitable for larger fragments. Although SSCP is reportedly able to detect 90% of single-base substitutions within a 200 base-pair fragment, the detection drops to less than 50% for 400 base pair fragments. Similarly, the sensitivity of DGGE decreases as the length of the fragment reaches 500 base-pairs. The ddF technique, as a combination of direct sequencing and SSCP, is also limited by the relatively small size of the DNA that can be screened.

Pyrosequencing™ Analysis (Pyrosequencing, Inc. Westborough, Mass., USA):

This technique is based on the hybridization of a sequencing primer to a single stranded, PCR-amplified, DNA template in the presence of DNA polymerase, ATP sulfurylase, luciferase and apyrase enzymes and the adenosine 5′ phosphosulfate (APS) and luciferin substrates. In the second step the first of four deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTP) is added to the reaction and the DNA polymerase catalyzes the incorporation of the deoxynucleotide triphosphate into the DNA strand, if it is complementary to the base in the template strand. Each incorporation event is accompanied by release of pyrophosphate (PPi) in a quantity equimolar to the amount of incorporated nucleotide. In the last step the ATP sulfurylase quantitatively converts PPi to ATP in the presence of adenosine 5′ phosphosulfate. This ATP drives the luciferase-mediated conversion of luciferin to oxyluciferin that generates visible light in amounts that are proportional to the amount of ATP. The light produced in the luciferase-catalyzed reaction is detected by a charge coupled device (CCD) camera and seen as a peak in a Pyrogram™. Each light signal is proportional to the number of nucleotides incorporated.

Acycloprime™ Analysis (Perkin Elmer, Boston, Mass., USA):

This technique is based on fluorescent polarization (FP) detection. Following PCR amplification of the sequence containing the SNP of interest, excess primer and dNTPs are removed through incubation with shrimp alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and exonuclease I. Once the enzymes are heat inactivated, the Acycloprime-FP process uses a thermostable polymerase to add one of two fluorescent terminators to a primer that ends immediately upstream of the SNP site. The terminator(s) added are identified by their increased FP and represent the allele(s) present in the original DNA sample. The Acycloprime process uses AcycloPol™, a novel mutant thermostable polymerase from the Archeon family, and a pair of AcycloTerminators™ labeled with R110 and TAMRA, representing the possible alleles for the SNP of interest. AcycloTerminator™ non-nucleotide analogs are biologically active with a variety of DNA polymerases. Similarly to 2′,3′-dideoxynucleotide-5′-triphosphates, the acyclic analogs function as chain terminators. The analog is incorporated by the DNA polymerase in a base-specific manner onto the 3′-end of the DNA chain, and since there is no 3′-hydroxyl, is unable to function in further chain elongation. It has been found that AcycloPol has a higher affinity and specificity for derivatized AcycloTerminators than various Taq mutant have for derivatized 2′,3′-dideoxynucleotide terminators.

Reverse Dot Blot:

This technique uses labeled sequence specific oligonucleotide probes and unlabeled nucleic acid samples. Activated primary amine-conjugated oligonucleotides are covalently attached to carboxylated nylon membranes. After hybridization and washing, the labeled probe, or a labeled fragment of the probe, can be released using oligomer restriction, i.e., the digestion of the duplex hybrid with a restriction enzyme. Circular spots or lines are visualized colorimetrically after hybridization through the use of streptavidin horseradish peroxidase incubation followed by development using tetramethylbenzidine and hydrogen peroxide, or via chemiluminescence after incubation with avidin alkaline phosphatase conjugate and a luminous substrate susceptible to enzyme activation, such as CSPD, followed by exposure to x-ray film.

It will be appreciated that advances in the field of SNP detection have provided additional accurate, easy, and inexpensive large-scale SNP genotyping techniques, such as dynamic allele-specific hybridization (DASH, Howell, W. M. et al., 1999. Dynamic allele-specific hybridization (DASH). Nat. Biotechnol. 17: 87-8), microplate array diagonal gel electrophoresis [MADGE, Day, I. N. et al., 1995. High-throughput genotyping using horizontal polyacrylamide gels with wells arranged for microplate array diagonal gel electrophoresis (MADGE). Biotechniques. 19: 830-5], the TaqMan system (Holland, P. M. et al., 1991. Detection of specific polymerase chain reaction product by utilizing the 5′→3′ exonuclease activity of Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 88: 7276-80), as well as various DNA “chip” technologies such as the GeneChip microarrays (e.g., Affymetrix SNP chips) which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,063 to Lipshutz, et al. 2001, which is fully incorporated herein by reference, Genetic Bit Analysis (GBA™) which is described by Goelet, P. et al. (PCT Appl. No. 92/15712), peptide nucleic acid (PNA, Ren B, et al., 2004. Nucleic Acids Res. 32: e42) and locked nucleic acids (LNA, Latorra D, et al., 2003. Hum. Mutat. 22: 79-85) probes, Molecular Beacons (Abravaya K, et al., 2003. Clin Chem Lab Med. 41: 468-74), intercalating dye [Germer, S. and Higuchi, R. Single-tube genotyping without oligonucleotide probes. Genome Res. 9:72-78 (1999)], FRET primers (Solinas A et al., 2001. Nucleic Acids Res. 29: E96), AlphaScreen (Beaudet L, et al., Genome Res. 2001, 11(4): 600-8), SNPstream (Bell P A, et al., 2002. Biotechniques. Suppl.: 70-2, 74, 76-7), Multiplex minisequencing (Curcio M, et al., 2002. Electrophoresis. 23: 1467-72), SnaPshot (Turner D, et al., 2002. Hum Immunol. 63: 508-13), MassEXTEND (Cashman J R, et al., 2001. Drug Metab Dispos. 29: 1629-37), GOOD assay (Sauer S, and Gut I G. 2003. Rapid Commun Mass. Spectrom. 17: 1265-72), Microarray minisequencing (Liljedahl U, et al., 2003. Pharmacogenetics. 13: 7-17), arrayed primer extension (APEX) (Tonisson N, et al., 2000. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med. 38: 165-70), Microarray primer extension (O'Meara D, et al., 2002. Nucleic Acids Res. 30: e75), Tag arrays (Fan J B, et al., 2000. Genome Res. 10: 853-60), Template-directed incorporation (TDI) (Akula N, et al., 2002. Biotechniques. 32: 1072-8), fluorescence polarization (Hsu™, et al., 2001. Biotechniques. 31: 560, 562, 564-8), Colorimetric oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA, Nickerson D A, et al., 1990. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 87: 8923-7), Sequence-coded OLA (Gasparini P, et al., 1999. J. Med. Screen. 6: 67-9), Microarray ligation, Ligase chain reaction, Padlock probes, Rolling circle amplification, Invader assay (reviewed in Shi M M. 2001. Enabling large-scale pharmacogenetic studies by high-throughput mutation detection and genotyping technologies. Clin Chem. 47: 164-72), coded microspheres (Rao K V et al., 2003. Nucleic Acids Res. 31: e66) and MassArray (Leushner J, Chiu N H, 2000. Mol Diagn. 5: 341-80).

For example, as described under “GENERAL MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS” in the Examples section which follows, determination of the SNPs was performed using the KasPar methodology (Petkov et al. 2004), as well as by PCR-RFLP [for SNP RS73885319 (S342G) and SNP RS60910145 (1384M)].

The protein sample can be obtained from any source of cells, tissues or body fluids of the individual. According to some embodiments of the invention, the protein sample is obtained from a blood sample (serum or plasma) of the individual. Methods of extracting proteins from blood samples are well known in the art. Once extracted, determination of the APOL1 polypeptide variants can be accomplished directly, by analyzing the protein gene products of the APOL1 gene, or portions thereof. Such a direct analysis is often accomplished using an immunological detection method.

Immunological Detection Methods:

The immunological detection methods used in context of the present invention are fully explained in, for example, “Using Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual” [Ed Harlow, David Lane eds., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1999)] and those familiar with the art will be capable of implementing the various techniques summarized hereinbelow as part of the present invention. All of the immunological techniques require antibodies specific to at least one of the two APOL1 alleles (the wild type allele and the APOL1 variant allele). Immunological detection methods suited for use as part of the present invention include, but are not limited to, radio-immunoassay (RIA), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot, immunohistochemical analysis, and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).

Radio-immunoassay (RIA): In one version, this method involves precipitation of the desired substrate, APOL1 in this case and in the methods detailed hereinbelow, with a specific antibody and radiolabelled antibody binding protein (e.g., protein A labeled with I¹²⁵) immobilized on a precipitable carrier such as agarose beads. The number of counts in the precipitated pellet is proportional to the amount of substrate.

In an alternate version of the RIA, a labeled substrate and an unlabelled antibody binding protein are employed. A sample containing an unknown amount of substrate is added in varying amounts. The decrease in precipitated counts from the labeled substrate is proportional to the amount of substrate in the added sample.

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA):

This method involves fixation of a sample (e.g., fixed cells or a proteinaceous solution) containing a protein substrate to a surface such as a well of a microtiter plate. A substrate specific antibody coupled to an enzyme is applied and allowed to bind to the substrate. Presence of the antibody is then detected and quantitated by a colorimetric reaction employing the enzyme coupled to the antibody. Enzymes commonly employed in this method include horseradish peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase. If well calibrated and within the linear range of response, the amount of substrate present in the sample is proportional to the amount of color produced. A substrate standard is generally employed to improve quantitative accuracy.

Western Blot:

This method involves separation of a substrate from other protein by means of an acrylamide gel followed by transfer of the substrate to a membrane (e.g., nylon or PVDF). Presence of the substrate is then detected by antibodies specific to the substrate, which are in turn detected by antibody binding reagents. Antibody binding reagents may be, for example, protein A, or other antibodies. Antibody binding reagents may be radiolabelled or enzyme linked as described hereinabove. Detection may be by autoradiography, colorimetric reaction or chemiluminescence. This method allows both quantitation of an amount of substrate and determination of its identity by a relative position on the membrane which is indicative of a migration distance in the acrylamide gel during electrophoresis.

Immunohistochemical Analysis:

This method involves detection of a substrate in situ in fixed cells by substrate specific antibodies. The substrate specific antibodies may be enzyme linked or linked to fluorophores. Detection is by microscopy and subjective evaluation. If enzyme linked antibodies are employed, a colorimetric reaction may be required.

Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS):

This method involves detection of a substrate in situ in cells by substrate specific antibodies. The substrate specific antibodies are linked to fluorophores. Detection is by means of a cell sorting machine which reads the wavelength of light emitted from each cell as it passes through a light beam. This method may employ two or more antibodies simultaneously.

The antibody used in the method of the present invention is selected differentially interactable with at least one form of a APOL1 protein encoded by an APOL1 allele having an SNP rs73885319 (S342G, i.e., the 5342 polymorph or the G342 polymorph) and SNP rs60910145 (I384M, i.e., the 1384 polymorph or the M384 polymorph) and can differentiate between polymorphs of the APOL1 protein via differential antibody interaction. Antibodies useful in context of this embodiment of the invention can be prepared using methods of antibody preparation well known to one of ordinary skills in the art, using, for example, synthetic peptides derived from the two different forms of the APOL1 protein for vaccination of antibody producing animals and subsequent isolation of antibodies therefrom. Monoclonal antibodies specific to each of the APOL1 variants can also be prepared as is described, for example, in “Current Protocols in Immunology” Volumes I-III Coligan J. E., Ed. (1994); Stites et al. (Eds), “Basic and Clinical Immunology” (8th Edition), Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, Conn. (1994); Mishell and Shiigi (Eds), “Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology”, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York (1980).

The term “antibody” as used in the present invention includes intact molecules as well as functional fragments thereof, such as Fab, F(ab′)₂, and Fv that are capable of binding to macrophages. These functional antibody fragments are defined as follows: Fab, the fragment which contains a monovalent antigen-binding fragment of an antibody molecule, can be produced by digestion of whole antibody with the enzyme papain to yield an intact light chain and a portion of one heavy chain; Fab′, the fragment of an antibody molecule that can be obtained by treating whole antibody with pepsin, followed by reduction, to yield an intact light chain and a portion of the heavy chain; two Fab′ fragments are obtained per antibody molecule; (Fab′)₂, the fragment of the antibody that can be obtained by treating whole antibody with the enzyme pepsin without subsequent reduction; F(ab′)₂ is a dimer of two Fab′ fragments held together by two disulfide bonds; Fv, defined as a genetically engineered fragment containing the variable region of the light chain and the variable region of the heavy chain expressed as two chains; and single chain antibody (“SCA”), a genetically engineered molecule containing the variable region of the light chain and the variable region of the heavy chain, linked by a suitable polypeptide linker as a genetically fused single chain molecule.

Methods of making these fragments are known in the art. See for example, Harlow and Lane, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1988, incorporated herein by reference.

Antibody fragments according to the present invention can be prepared by proteolytic hydrolysis of the antibody or by expression in E. coli or mammalian cells (e.g. Chinese hamster ovary cell culture or other protein expression systems) of DNA encoding the fragment.

Antibody fragments can be obtained by pepsin or papain digestion of whole antibodies by conventional methods. For example, antibody fragments can be produced by enzymatic cleavage of antibodies with pepsin to provide a 5S fragment denoted F(ab′)₂. This fragment can be further cleaved using a thiol reducing agent, and optionally a blocking group for the sulfhydryl groups resulting from cleavage of disulfide linkages, to produce 3.5S Fab′ monovalent fragments. Alternatively, an enzymatic cleavage using pepsin produces two monovalent Fab′ fragments and an Fc fragment directly. These methods are described, for example, by Goldenberg, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,036,945 and 4,331,647, and references contained therein, which patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. See also Porter, R. R., Biochem. J., 73: 119-126, 1959. Other methods of cleaving antibodies, such as separation of heavy chains to form monovalent light-heavy chain fragments, further cleavage of fragments, or other enzymatic, chemical, or genetic techniques may also be used, so long as the fragments bind to the antigen that is recognized by the intact antibody.

Fv fragments comprise an association of V_(H) and V_(L) chains. This association may be noncovalent, as described in Inbar et al., Proc. Nat'l Acad. Sci. USA 69:2659-62, 1972. Alternatively, the variable chains can be linked by an intermolecular disulfide bond or cross-linked by chemicals such as gluteraldehyde. Preferably, the Fv fragments comprise V_(H) and V_(L) chains connected by a peptide linker. These single-chain antigen binding proteins (sFv) are prepared by constructing a structural gene comprising DNA sequences encoding the V_(H) and V_(L) domains connected by an oligonucleotide. The structural gene is inserted into an expression vector, which is subsequently introduced into a host cell such as E. coli. The recombinant host cells synthesize a single polypeptide chain with a linker peptide bridging the two V domains. Methods for producing sFvs are described, for example, by Whitlow and Filpula, Methods, 2: 97-105, 1991; Bird et al., Science 242:423-426, 1988; Pack et al., Bio/Technology 11:1271-77, 1993; and Ladner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Another form of an antibody fragment is a peptide coding for a single complementarity-determining region (CDR). CDR peptides (“minimal recognition units”) can be obtained by constructing genes encoding the CDR of an antibody of interest. Such genes are prepared, for example, by using the polymerase chain reaction to synthesize the variable region from RNA of antibody-producing cells. See, for example, Larrick and Fry, Methods, 2: 106-10, 1991.

Once the predisposition to develop the kidney disease has been determined, the information regarding predisposition can be presented to the individual and/or to the treating physician. This is particularly important in case of a positive prediction of kidney disease in a subject (i.e., when there is predisposition to develop kidney disease according to the methods described hereinabove), in order to take actions, which might prevent or delay the development of the kidney disease before its onset. It should be noted that upon the onset (or occurrence) of the kidney disease, the subject's general health can deteriorate, and the subject can become severely ill, without cure, leading to death.

On the other hand, absence of predisposition to develop a kidney disease may be of a great relief to a subject being at risk thereof based on family history and/or presence of other disease(s).

Thus, according to some embodiments of the invention, the method further comprising informing the subject on the state of the predisposition to develop the kidney disease.

As used herein, the term “subject” includes mammals, preferably human beings at any age which suffer from a pathology (kidney disease) or is at risk of developing a pathology (kidney disease).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the kidney disease comprises an end stage kidney disease.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the kidney disease is not a diabetic-associated or diabetic-related kidney disease.

It should be noted that determination of the predisposition of the subject to develop a kidney disease can affect the subject's life style, such that the subject is aware of the risk to develop the disease and takes action(s) in order to prevent the kidney disease, which actions were otherwise not been taken.

For example, a subject who is predisposed to develop a kidney disease may be put on a restrictive diet for preventing overload of protein or salt on the kidney, and/or be treated with suitable medications which prevent or delay onset of the kidney disease.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention there is provided a method of designing a life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease, comprising:

(a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation,

(i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions;

(ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1,

wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, and;

(b) designing the life style change based on presence or absence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation,

thereby designing life style change to a subject with the risk of kidney disease.

As mentioned, the knowledge of presence or absence or the predisposition to develop the kidney disease can be used to design a suitable treatment regimen to a subject having a certain disease and being at risk of developing also a kidney disease. Non-limiting examples of such subjects include those infected with HIV which causes AIDS, patients who have a single kidney, a past episode of acute kidney injury, have donated a kidney or otherwise lost a kidney, recurrent urinary infections, childhood reflux disease, exposure of kidney toxic medications, patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis, non-monogenic focalsegmental glomerulosclerosis, a patient with sickle-cell kidney disease and the like.

It should be noted that HIV-infected subjects are at risk to develop HIV-associate nephropathy (HIVAN). However, the threshold for introducing an antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV does not currently take into account the patient's risk of HIV-related kidney disease. Such risk could potentially be accounted for by a management algorithm that includes the effects of APOL1 genotype. Thus, determining the etiology of kidney dysfunction in a patient with AIDS who is receiving potentially nephrotoxic antiretroviral therapy may be assisted by APOL1 genotyping.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the subject is infected with HIV.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the kidney disease comprises HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN).

Thus, according to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention there is provided a method of designing a nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen to a subject infected with HIV, comprising:

(a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation,

(i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions;

(ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1,

wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease, and;

(b) designing the nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen based on presence or absence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation,

thereby designing a nephrotoxic anti-retroviral treatment regimen to the subject infected with HIV.

For example, the clinician might decide to press on with therapy to alleviate the kidney injury in an HIV-infected patient carrying APOL1 risk alleles, or might choose not to implement such therapy in an HIV-infected patient who does not carry APOL1 risk alleles.

Similarly, determination of the predisposition to develop a kidney disease may have important considerations for both living kidney donors and recipients. For example, subjects having increased predisposition to develop a kidney disease may not be eligible to donate a kidney. Similarly, a subject having an increased predisposition to develop a kidney disease may not benefit from a kidney transplantation. Thus, the APOL1 genotyping may well be added to the battery of tests undertaken prior to living kidney donation, for the benefit of both donor and recipient.

Thus, according to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention, there is provided a method of determining if a subject is suitable for donating a kidney for transplantation, comprising:

(a) identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation,

(i) wherein the variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions;

(ii) wherein the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is included in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1,

wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant or the APOL1 nucleotide mutation indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop a kidney disease, and;

wherein increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease indicates that the subject is not suitable for donating the kidney for transplantation,

thereby determining if the subject is suitable for donating a kidney for transplantation.

Current guidelines for the management of hypertension suggest that African Americans as a group do not enjoy renal benefit from antihypertensive therapy, and moreover the recommendations for use of specific antihypertensive drug categories in African American patients are influenced by which African subpopulation they belong to. The presence or absence of the APOL1 risk alleles for predisposition to a kidney disease may be also used to improve the individualization of therapy in the African American group of patients, such that those without APOL1 risk alleles might be expected to enjoy a substantial renal benefit from antihypertensive regimens, similar to those that have proven effective in patients of European ancestry.

It will be appreciated that the reagents utilized by the methods for determining predisposition to develop kidney disease according to some embodiments of the invention and which are described hereinabove can form a part of a kit.

Such a kit includes at least one reagent for determining a presence or absence in a homozygous or heterozygous form, of at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation or APOL1 protein variant.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the invention there is provided a kit for determining predisposition to a kidney disease, comprising a reagent capable of specifically detecting at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and/or a reagent capable of specifically detecting at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 coding sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation being in linkage disequlibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, and/or a reagent capable of specifically detecting at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant, wherein said APOL1 polypeptide variant is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on said Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the APOL1 nucleotide mutation is selected from the group consisting of the guanine-containing allele of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs73885319 (SEQ ID NO:6), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs60910145 (SEQ ID NO:7), the guanine-containing allele of SNP rs9622363 (SEQ ID NO:8), the adenine-containing allele of SNP rs60295735 (SEQ ID NO:9) and the cytosine-containing allele of SNP rs58384577 (SEQ ID NO:10).

According to some embodiments of the invention, the reagent comprises a polynucleotide capable of specifically detecting the APOL1 nucleotide mutation by any of the mutation and/or SNP detection methods described hereinabove.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the reagent comprises an antibody capable of specifically binding an APOL1 variant comprises the nucleotide mutation and not to the APLO1 wild type polypeptide.

According to preferred embodiments the APOL1 polypeptide variant which is detected by the reagent comprised in the kit has a mutation selected from the group consisting of G342, M384, N388-del and Y389-del with respect to the wild type amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1.

According to preferred embodiments the kit further comprising packaging material packaging at least one reagent and a notification in or on the packaging material. Such a notification identifies the kit for use in determining if an individual is predisposed to develop a kidney disease, and/or suitable to donate a kidney for transplantation, and/or suitable for receiving kidney transplantation, and/or for designing a life style change and/or for designing a treatment regimen for a subject.

The kit also includes the appropriate instructions for use and labels indicating FDA approval for use in vitro.

As used herein the term “about” refers to ±10%.

The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, “including”, “having” and their conjugates mean “including but not limited to”.

The term “consisting of means “including and limited to”.

The term “consisting essentially of” means that the composition, method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps and/or parts, but only if the additional ingredients, steps and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may include a plurality of compounds, including mixtures thereof. Throughout this application, various embodiments of this invention may be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The phrases “ranging/ranges between” a first indicate number and a second indicate number and “ranging/ranges from” a first indicate number “to” a second indicate number are used herein interchangeably and are meant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.

As used herein the term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the chemical, pharmacological, biological, biochemical and medical arts.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Various embodiments and aspects of the present invention as delineated hereinabove and as claimed in the claims section below find experimental support in the following examples.

EXAMPLES

Reference is now made to the following examples, which together with the above descriptions illustrate some embodiments of the invention in a non limiting fashion.

Generally, the nomenclature used herein and the laboratory procedures utilized in the present invention include molecular, biochemical, microbiological and recombinant DNA techniques. Such techniques are thoroughly explained in the literature. See, for example, “Molecular Cloning: A laboratory Manual” Sambrook et al., (1989); “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology” Volumes I-III Ausubel, R. M., ed. (1994); Ausubel et al., “Current Protocols in Molecular Biology”, John Wiley and Sons, Baltimore, Md. (1989); Perbal, “A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning”, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1988); Watson et al., “Recombinant DNA”, Scientific American Books, New York; Birren et al. (eds) “Genome Analysis: A Laboratory Manual Series”, Vols. 1-4, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York (1998); methodologies as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,666,828; 4,683,202; 4,801,531; 5,192,659 and 5,272,057; “Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook”, Volumes I-III Cellis, J. E., ed. (1994); “Current Protocols in Immunology” Volumes I-III Coligan J. E., ed. (1994); Stites et al. (eds), “Basic and Clinical Immunology” (8th Edition), Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, Conn. (1994); Mishell and Shiigi (eds), “Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology”, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York (1980); available immunoassays are extensively described in the patent and scientific literature, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,932; 3,839,153; 3,850,752; 3,850,578; 3,853,987; 3,867,517; 3,879,262; 3,901,654; 3,935,074; 3,984,533; 3,996,345; 4,034,074; 4,098,876; 4,879,219; 5,011,771 and 5,281,521; “Oligonucleotide Synthesis” Gait, M. J., ed. (1984); “Nucleic Acid Hybridization” Hames, B. D., and Higgins S. J., eds. (1985); “Transcription and Translation” Hames, B. D., and Higgins S. J., Eds. (1984); “Animal Cell Culture” Freshney, R. I., ed. (1986); “Immobilized Cells and Enzymes” IRL Press, (1986); “A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning” Perbal, B., (1984) and “Methods in Enzymology” Vol. 1-317, Academic Press; “PCR Protocols: A Guide To Methods And Applications”, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990); Marshak et al., “Strategies for Protein Purification and Characterization—A Laboratory Course Manual” CSHL Press (1996); all of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Other general references are provided throughout this document. The procedures therein are believed to be well known in the art and are provided for the convenience of the reader. All the information contained therein is incorporated herein by reference.

GENERAL MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS Sample Sets

The non-diabetic ESKD sample set is a sub-set of a larger ESKD cohort previously reported (Behar et al. 2010). The designation of MYH9 associated nephropathies included hypertension affiliated chronic kidney disease, HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), and non-monogenic forms of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (Bostrom and Freedman 2010). The sample includes 430 non-diabetic ESKD cases and 525 controls, all of whom are self-identified as either African American or Hispanic American. The present inventors have already reported the African, European and Native American ancestry admixture proportions for these samples, based on a set of 40 genome wide Ancestry Informative Markers, and also the association and risk parameters for a set of 42 SNP polymorphic markers in the MYH9 genetic locus in the entire sample set (Behar et al. 2010).

The African populations sample set consists of 676 samples from 12 African populations, including Cameroon (2 ethnic groups), Congo, Ethiopia (4 ethnic groups), Ghana (2 groups), Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan with details provided in Table 2 hereinbelow. Whole Genome Amplification of extracted DNA was carried out as previously reported (van Eijk et al. 2010).

All sampling and testing was conducted with institutional review board approval for human genetic studies on anonymized samples, with informed consent.

SNP Genotyping—

Genotyping of the novel six SNPs reported herein and in Tzur et al. 2010, i.e., SNPs rs73885319, rs60910145, rs9622363 [APOL1], rs60295735 [near APOL1], rs56767103 [FOXRED2], rs11089781 [APOL3], was performed with the KasPar methodology (Petkov et al. 2004). In addition PCR and RFLP reactions were designed for the APOL1 SNPs as follows. DNA fragments containing the both APOL1 SNPs [SNP rs73885319 (S342G) and SNP rs60910145 (1384M)] were generated by PCR amplification of genomic DNA using the following primers: forward primer: 5′-ACA AGC CCA AGC CCA CGA CC-3′ (SEQ ID NO:4) and the reverse primer: 5′-CCT GGC CCC TGC CAG GCA TA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:5). PCR reaction mix included 30 ng template DNA with 7.5 pmol of each primer and the Red Load Taq Master (Larova). PCR conditions were 95° C. for 3 minutes followed by 40 cycles of denaturation at 95° C. for 30 seconds, annealing 65° C. for 20 seconds, and elongation 72° C. for 1 minute. The resulting amplicon was digested with both endonucleases HindIII and NspI and was run on a 2% agarose gel. SNP APOL1 rs73885319 A/G: The allele containing G eliminates a recognition site of endonuclease HindIII. APOL1 SNP rs60910145 T/G: The allele containing T generates a new recognition site of endonuclease NspI. An example for RFLP genotyping of APOL1 rs73885319 A/G and APOL1 SNP rs60910145 T/G is shown in FIG. 6. SNP validation was performed by Sanger sequencing.

Example I Search for Sequence Variants Associated with ESKD

In order to detect functional mutations which are significantly more associated with ESKD than all previously reported SNPs in MYH9, the present inventors have re-examined the MALD interval surrounding MYH9, and detected novel missense mutations with predicted functional effects in the neighboring loci such as the APOL1 gene.

Identification of candidate non-synonymous SNPs related to ESKD—

To search for variants possibly associated with ESKD, the present inventors analyzed 119 whole genome sequences recently released by the 1000 Genomes Project [world wide web (dot) 1000genomes (dot) org] and examined in these genomes a 1.55 Mbp interval surrounding MYH9, spanning nucleotide positions 34,000,000 to 35,550,000 (NCBI36 assembly). Of the 119 whole genome sequences, 60 are of European origin (HapMap CEU cohort), and 59 are of West-African origin (HapMap YRI cohort) yielding a total of 7,479 SNPs in the 1.55 Mbp chromosome 22 interval. Filtering criteria were applied to identify candidates for further consideration and analysis, based on: (1) low allele frequency in CEU but not in YRI, and (2) LD patterns with the previously identified leading MYH9 risk variants. From the 7,479 SNPs, the present inventors have selected for further examination all SNPs which complied with the following conditions:

(1) Minor allele frequency in the CEU cohort not exceeding 7.5% (9/120 chromosomes). This minor allele was designated as a putative “risk state” for this SNP.

(2) Risk state in the YRI cohort at allele frequency exceeding 17.5% (21/118 chromosomes).

(3) A minimal level of LD with the MYH9 S-1 SNP rs5750250 (FIG. 2). The criterion used was a chi-square test p-value not exceeding 0.15 for the 3*3 genotype table comparing each candidate SNP to the S-1 SNP in the YRI cohort.

All candidate SNPs which passed these requirements (total 250) were inspected in order to identify non-synonymous exonic SNPs, indicating a possible functional role. These were again examined for consistency with association patterns in the leading MYH9 risk variants S-1 (rs5750250) and F-1 (rs11912763) (Nelson et al. 2010) to confirm higher prevalence of the African “risk” state in the YRI cohort, and rarity of the risk state in the S-1 protective state (G:G), given the high attributable risk of S-1, especially for HIVAN (Winkler et al. 2010), indicating that the causative variant should be extremely rare in the presence of the S-1 protective state. This yielded four candidate non-synonymous exonic SNPs for genotyping: The first two (rs73885319 and rs60910145) are missense mutations in the last exon of the APOL1 gene (S342G and I384M) which is the neighboring gene, located 14 kbp 3′ downstream from MYH9. A third SNP (rs11089781) is a nonsense mutation (Q58X) in the APOL3 gene located 110 kbp further 3′ downstream. The fourth SNP (rs56767103) is a missense mutation (R71C) in the gene FOXRED2 located 100 kbp upstream to the 5′ side of MYH9 (FIG. 1). Of note the two variants located 128 bp apart in APOL1 are in almost perfect LD (237 out of 238 chromosomes from the 1000 Genomes Project).

These four variants were genotyped in a previously reported sample set of African American and Hispanic American cases and controls (n=955) (Behar et al. 2010). Associations of these candidates with ESKD phenotypes previously attributed to MYH9, were determined using logistic regression, with correction for global and local ancestry, and considering three major modes of inheritance as previously reported (Behar et al. 2010).

Association Analysis—

For determining the association of each SNP with ESKD in the dataset, the present inventors performed logistic regression with ESKD status (Cases/Control) as the response, and included covariates for local and global ancestry as well as for cohort (African American/Hispanic American). Ancestry estimates were calculated as previously described (Behar et al. 2010). In addition to the four exonic SNPs described above, two additional SNPs in the APOL1 region were chosen for genotyping, including SNP rs9622363 located in intron 3, and SNP rs60295735 located in the inter-genic region between the genes APOL1 and MYH9. These SNPs were chosen using the same criteria as those applied to the exonic SNPs, as described above.

TABLE 1 Association with non-diabetic ESKD of non-synonymous SNPs in APOL1, APOL3 and FOXRED2 in the MALD peak and comparison with leading MYH9 SNPs Chr22 YRI risk CEU risk rs number Gene Type Location^(a) Alleles^(b) frequency^(c) frequency Mode^(d) OR P value rs73885319^(e) APOL1 exon 5 36661906 A/G 46% 0% Recessive 6.7 2.71E−06 S342G Additive 2.22 2.38E−08 missense Dominant 2.23 8.11E−06 rs60910145 APOL1 exon 5 36662034 T/G 45% 0% Recessive 6.74 9.89E−06 I384M Additive 2.28 3.00E−08 missense Dominant 2.32 4.75E−06 rs11089781 APOL3 exon 1 36556768 G/A 31% 0% Recessive 6.62 2.82E−03 Q58X Additive 2.18 3.79E−06 nonsense Dominant 2.22 3.23E−05 rs56767103 FOXRED2 exon 1 36902259 G/A 18% 0% Recessive 1.33 6.83E−01 R71C Additive 1.52 5.19E−02 missense Dominant 1.66 3.64E−02 rs11912763 MYH9 intron 33 36684722 G/A 48% 0% Recessive 2.38 2.86E−02 F-1 Additive 1.96 4.05E−05 designation Dominant 2.28 4.20E−05 rs5750250 MYH9 intron13 36708483 A/G 66% 6% Recessive 2.48 4.29E−05 S-1 Additive 1.78 6.68E−05 designation Dominant 1.55 4.97E−02 Table 1. ^(a)Location on Chromosome 22 in NCBI37.1/hg19 assembly. ^(b)African ESKD “risk” state in bold. ^(c)Frequencies according to available 1000 genome data. ^(d)Association results were derived using logistic regression, correcting for global and local African ancestry, and combining the Hispanic and African American cohorts. ^(e)See FIGS. 5A-D for allele frequency pie-charts in cases versus controls.

The APOL1 Missense Variants (rs73885319 and rs60910145) are More Strongly Associated with ESKD Risk than the Leading MYH9 Risk Variants—

Table 1 hereinabove shows the association results for the combined dataset of the African American and Hispanic American cohorts. For comparison, the present inventors include the results from the two previously reported leading MYH9 risk variants (S-1 rs5750250, F-1 rs11912763) (Nelson et al. 2010). The APOL1 missense variants (rs73885319 and rs60910145) are more strongly associated with ESKD risk than the leading MYH9 risk variants, both in terms of OR and p values (Table 1 above). The lower allele frequency and OR, with a higher p value for the APOL3 nonsense variant, and the weak association for the FOXRED2 missense mutation, render these variants unlikely candidates to explain the risk attributed to this genomic region. The results for combined and meta-analysis of the two separate cohort-based results are congruent (Table 2, below).

For determining whether the APOL1 SNP rs73885319 explains the association of ESKD with MYH9 SNPs, the present inventors performed a logistic regression with the same covariates, but included both the APOL1 SNP and an MYH9 SNP in the analysis. To avoid committing to a specific mode of inheritance, the present inventors included the SNPs as categorical variables with three values (three possible genotypes), and then performed an analysis of deviance on the results (Hastie and Pregibon 1992), first adding the APOL1 SNP, and then the MYH9 SNP, and performing a chi-square test for the null hypothesis that the MYH9 SNP does not add to the ability to explain ESKD status.

Analysis of deviance of the combined logistic regression indicates that LD with APOL1 SNP rs73885319 accounted for much or all the statistical association previously attributed to the leading MYH9 variants with ESKD. In this regard, the present inventors also examined two non-coding variants in the APOL1 region which are in high LD with the APOL1 missense mutations, and as expected, both showed significant disease risk association (FIG. 2 and Table 2, below).

Three major modes of association (recessive, additive, dominant) were tested through definition of appropriate dummy variables in the regression. In addition to this combined analysis, the regression analysis was performed in each cohort separately, and the resulting p-values were combined using Fisher's meta-analysis. Results are shown in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Association of the examined SNPs in the MALD peak with non-diabetic ESKD in African and Hispanic Americans YRI CEU rs Chr22 risk risk Hispanic American number Location Gene Type Alleles freq. freq. Mode OR lower upper p-value rs73885319 36661906 APOL1 exon 5 A/G 0.457 0 Recessive 15.48 3.99 60.00 8.8E−04 S342G missense Additive 3.59 2.21 5.83 1.5E−05 Dominant 3.47 1.95 6.16 3.7E−04 rs60910145 36662034 APOL1 exon 5 T/G 0.449 0 Recessive 12.80 3.28 49.94 2.1E−03 I384M missense Additive 3.54 2.17 5.78 2.3E−05 Dominant 3.56 2.00 6.33 3.0E−04 rs60295735 36667154 Intergenic Intergenic G/A 0.432 0 Recessive 12.79 3.28 49.92 2.1E−03 (APOL1-MYH9) Additive 3.43 2.10 5.60 3.6E−05 Dominant 3.32 1.87 5.91 5.9E−04 rs9622363 36656555 APOL1 intronic A/G 0.711 0 Recessive 5.11 2.36 11.06 5.2E−04 Additive 2.80 1.73 4.53 4.2E−04 Dominant 2.03 1.15 3.60 4.1E−02 rs56767103 36902259 FOXRED2 exon 1 G/A 0.177 0 Recessive Inf 0.00 Inf 9.9E−01 R71C missense Additive 2.75 1.40 5.41 1.4E−02 Dominant 2.69 1.33 5.46 2.1E−02 rs11089781 36556768 APOL3 exon 1 G/A 0.305 0 Recessive 2.30 0.42 12.44 4.2E−01 Q58X nonsense Additive 2.57 1.55 4.24 2.0E−03 Dominant 2.87 1.66 4.96 1.5E−03 rs4821480 36695247 MYH9 intron23 T/G 0.763 0.058 Recessive 3.37 1.56 7.29 9.6E−03 E-1 designation Additive 1.67 1.06 2.63 6.4E−02 Dominant 1.14 0.66 1.99 6.9E−01 rs5750250 36708483 MYH9 intron13 A/G 0.661 0.058 Recessive 3.82 1.67 8.73 7.5E−03 S-1 designation Additive 1.50 0.96 2.34 1.4E−01 Dominant 1.02 0.60 1.74 9.5E−01 rs11912763 36684722 MYH9 intron33 G/A 0.483 0 Recessive 4.31 1.21 15.34 5.9E−02 F-1 designation Additive 3.02 1.80 5.08 4.7E−04 Dominant 3.64 1.97 6.75 5.7E−04 Meta rs African American analysis Combined analysis number OR lower upper p-value is p-value OR p-value rs73885319 4.86 2.35 10.06 3.5E−04 4.9E−06 6.70 2.7E−06 1.90 1.46 2.48 5.9E−05 2.0E−08 2.22 2.4E−08 1.89 1.34 2.67 2.2E−03 1.2E−05 2.23 8.1E−06 rs60910145 5.05 2.29 11.13 7.4E−04 2.2E−05 6.74 9.9E−06 1.94 1.48 2.56 7.3E−05 3.5E−08 2.28 3.0E−08 1.95 1.37 2.76 1.8E−03 8.1E−06 2.32 4.8E−06 rs60295735 2.99 1.56 5.73 5.8E−03 1.5E−04 4.27 1.2E−04 1.76 1.35 2.31 5.6E−04 3.8E−07 2.10 4.6E−07 1.87 1.31 2.66 3.5E−03 2.9E−05 2.22 1.5E−05 rs9622363 3.68 2.46 5.52 1.2E−07 1.5E−09 3.92 6.3E−10 2.34 1.79 3.06 1.8E−07 1.8E−09 2.46 2.6E−10 2.26 1.41 3.61 4.3E−03 1.7E−03 2.20 3.2E−04 rs56767103 1.02 0.33 3.17 9.8E−01 1.0E+00 1.33 6.8E−01 1.23 0.84 1.82 3.7E−01 3.3E−02 1.52 5.2E−02 1.33 0.85 2.10 3.0E−01 3.9E−02 1.66 3.6E−02 rs11089781 13.06 2.43 70.14 1.2E−02 3.1E−02 6.62 2.8E−03 2.01 1.45 2.78 4.2E−04 1.3E−05 2.18 3.8E−06 1.93 1.32 2.82 4.3E−03 8.2E−05 2.22 3.2E−05 rs4821480 1.82 1.24 2.69 1.1E−02 1.1E−03 2.05 6.6E−04 1.64 1.23 2.19 4.4E−03 2.6E−03 1.65 6.5E−04 1.92 1.10 3.36 5.6E−02 1.6E−01 1.47 1.0E−01 rs5750250 2.29 1.54 3.43 6.7E−04 6.7E−05 2.48 4.3E−05 1.92 1.45 2.54 1.3E−04 2.1E−04 1.78 6.7E−05 2.28 1.37 3.81 7.8E−03 4.4E−02 1.55 5.0E−02 rs11912763 1.95 0.95 3.99 1.3E−01 4.4E−02 2.38 2.9E−02 1.67 1.23 2.27 5.8E−03 3.8E−05 1.96 4.1E−05 1.90 1.29 2.79 6.2E−03 4.8E−05 2.28 4.2E−05 Table 2: Location on Chromosome 22 in NCBI37.1/hg19 assembly. Provided are the results of the association studies performed on SNPs in the APOL1, MYH9, FOXRED2 and APOL3 genes. The Table also demonstrates similarity between the p values obtained from combining the p values from the separate cohort based analyses (African American, Hispanic American) in a meta analysis, and the p values obtained directly from a combined analysis of both cohorts including an indicator for cohort. This demonstrates the robustness of the statistical conclusions to variations in methodology.

Residual Associations of MYH9 SNPs Beyond LD with APOL1 Missense Mutations—

As described above, the present inventors performed analysis of deviance tests of the hypothesis that the APOL1 missense mutation rs73885319 can account for the statistical association between MYH9 SNPs and ESKD status. Analysis of deviance shows that the associations of the E-1 and F-1 haplotype SNPs are satisfactorily explained by this mutation (p>0.5 for F-1, p>0.1 for E-1). For the S-1 SNP rs5750250, the present inventors obtained a borderline p-value of 0.01, indicating the possibility that the S-1 SNP carries an association signal beyond its LD with rs73885319.

Example 2 Distribution and Frequencies of the APOL1 Risk Allele in African Populations

HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) has been considered as the most prominent non-diabetic form of kidney disease within what has been termed the MYH9-associated nephropathies (Kopp et al. 2008). Behar et al. 2006, reported absence of HIVAN in HIV infected Ethiopian.

The APOL1 S342G Missense Mutation is Absent in Certain African Populations—

To test whether genomic factors are associated with the absence of HIVAN in Ethiopian population, the present inventors have examined the allele frequencies of the APOL1 missense mutations, as well as the leading MYH9 risk variants in 676 individuals from 12 African populations, including 304 Ethiopians and the results are presented in Table 3, hereinbelow.

TABLE 3 Distribution of the rs73885319 (S342G) risk allele among various African populations rs73885319 Sample risk allele Country Population Size Latitude Longitude frequency Ghana Bulsa 22 10.7 −1.3 11% Ghana Asante 35 5.8 −2.8 41% Cameroon Somie 65 6.45 11.45 16% Congo COG 55 −4.25 15.28 11% Malawi MWI 50 −13.95 33.7 12% Mozambique Sena 51 −17.45 35 12% Sudan Kordofan 30 13.08 30.35  0% Cameroon Far-North- 64 12.5 14.5  1% CMR/Chad Ethiopia Afar 76 12 41.5  0% Ethiopia Amhara 76 11.5 38.5  0% Ethiopia Oromo 76 9 38.7  0% Ethiopia Maale 76 7.6 37.2  0% Table 3: Frequency of the risk allele for rs73885319 (S342G) in APOL1 among the African populations sample set (total n = 676), according to the location of each population. The samples analyzed and presented in this Table form part of the collection of DNA maintained by The Centre for Genetic Anthropology at University College London. Buccal cells were collected with informed consent and institutional ethics approval from anonymous donors unrelated at the paternal grandfather level, classified by self declared ethnic identity.

A reduced frequency of the APOL1 missense mutations (Table 3), and of the MYH9 risk variants is shown in North-East Africa populations (e.g., Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia), with the complete absence of the APOL1 missense mutations (as well as the F-1 risk variant) in Ethiopia (FIGS. 3A-C).

Analysis and Discussion

The present inventors have uncovered that the two missense mutations S342G and I384M in the APOL1 protein can explain the increased risk for kidney disease in African Americans. The kidney diseases include: 1) Primary non-monogenic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), 2) Hypertension-attributed kidney disease (hypertensive nephrosclerosis), and 3) HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN).

The associations of these diseases with APOL1 mutations have an odds-ratio (OR) between 7-10, the highest OR ever reported for complex disease. These allelic variants are common in African continental heritage populations in the United States, such as the African and Hispanic-American populations, as well as West African immigrant communities in New York City. It is estimated that ˜13% of the African American population have a homozygous or compound heterozygous state of the APOL1 risk alleles that dramatically increase their risk for CKD and attendant cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease [Tzar S, et al. Hum Genet 2010 128:345-50; Rosset S, et al. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2011 May 3. [Epub ahead of print]; and Genovese G, et al., Science 2010; 329:841-5].

Functional Role of the APOL1 S342G Missense Mutation in Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense Infection—

The APOL1 gene encodes apolipoprotein L-1, whose known activities include powerful trypanosomolysis (Lecordier et al. 2009). Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense transmitted by tsetse flies prevalent in central and western Africa is a cause of human African trypanosomiasis, and shows resistance to this trypanosomolytic effect, by virtue of expressing serum resistance—associated protein (SRA), which interacts with the C-terminal domain of apolipoprotein L-1 (Lecordier et al. 2009). The S342G variant is predicted to modify the binding site of the C-terminal domain of the APOL1 gene product (FIGS. 4A-C).

With respect to kidney disease risk, APOL1 is also prominently involved in authophagic pathways (Zhaorigetu et al. 2008), and a recent study has provided compelling evidence for the role of well preserved authophagy in the integrity of renal glomerular podocytes (Hartleben et al. 2010). Moreover, apolipoproteins have also been identified as circulating inhibitors of glomerular proteinuria (Candiano et al. 2001).

Functional studies, combined with clinical and genetic evidence—point to a “gain-of-injury” model, as opposed to a “loss-of-function” model for the mechanism of APOL1 mediated risk. Moreover, preliminary results indicate that the mechanistic distinction between the risk (African risk variant states) and non-risk (non-African protective states) of the gene, relate to access to its target of injury.

The APOL1 genetic markers can be useful in the clinical setting. For example, the threshold for introducing antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV does not currently take into account the patient's risk of HIV-related kidney disease. Such risk could potentially be accounted for by a management algorithm that includes the effects of APOL1 genotype. So too, determining the etiology of kidney dysfunction in a patient with AIDS who is receiving potentially nephrotoxic antiretroviral therapy may be assisted by APOL1 genotyping. For example, the clinician might decide to press on with therapy to alleviate the kidney injury in a patient carrying APOL1 risk alleles, or might choose not to implement such therapy in a patient who does not carry APOL1 risk alleles.

With regard to transplantation, APOL1 genotype may have important considerations for both living kidney donors and recipients. African American kidney donors have poorer long-term renal function than European American donors. If this observation turns out to be restricted to the subgroup of donors who are in the APOL1 risk category, APOL1 genotyping may well be added to the battery of tests undertaken prior to living kidney donation, for the benefit of both donor and recipient.

New insights may also be forthcoming with regard to the recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis following kidney transplantation. One these studies, implicated apolipoproteins among the circulating factors that govern recurrent proteinuria following transplantation in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Thus advance knowledge of genotype might guide preparatory therapy (e.g. plasmapheresis) for this possible outcome, or suggest new preventive or therapeutic approached.

Current guidelines for the management of hypertension suggest that African Americans as a group do not enjoy renal benefit from antihypertensive therapy, and moreover the recommendations for use of specific antihypertensive drug categories in African American patients are influenced by which African subpopulation they belong to. APOL1 genotyping may improve the individualization of therapy in this very large group of patients, such that those without APOL1 risk alleles might be expected to enjoy a substantial renal benefit from antihypertensive regimens, similar to those that have proven effective in patients of European ancestry.

Indeed, APOL1 seems to offer a particularly enlightening example of a gene with DNA sequence variants that are common in the population, and which confer an advantage under one set of environmental conditions (trypanosomiasis epidemics) but may have deleterious effects in the face of a different set of environmental conditions (such as HIV infection and increased life expectancy). This interplay is part of the emerging discipline of evolutionary medicine and validates in the clinical setting the maxim of the eminent geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting.

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What is claimed is:
 1. A kit for determining predisposition to a kidney disease, comprising a reagent capable of specifically detecting an apolipoprotein L-1 (APOL1) polypeptide variant of SEQ ID NO:1 with glycine at position 342 (G342), methionine at position 384 (M384), deletion of asparagine at position 388 (N388-del) or deletion of tyrosine at position 389 (Y389-del).
 2. The kit of claim 1, wherein said reagent comprises an oligonucleotide which specifically hybridizes to the nucleotide sequence encoding said G342, M384, N388-del or Y389-del APOL1 polypeptide variant but not to the nucleotide sequence encoding wild type APOL1 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1.
 3. The kit of claim 1, wherein said reagent comprises an antibody which specifically binds to said G342, M384, N388-del or Y389-del APOL1 polypeptide variant but not to wild type APOL1 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:1.
 4. The kit of claim 2, wherein said oligonucleotid comprises a label.
 5. The kit of claim 3, wherein said antibody comprises a label. 